Automatic ventilator



A. A. GILMORE AUTOMATIC VENTILATOR Filed July 9. 1923 2 Shets-Sheet l gill/2252555 7% BY ATTORN EY A. A. GILMORE AUTOMATIC VENTILATOR Filed y 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR .Gzilmozze WITN ES ATTORN BY Patented aFully 1, 1924.

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OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC VENTILATOR'.

Application filed July 9,

To all 10710711 it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. GILMORE, a citizen of Canada, residing at Preston, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and useful AutomaticVentilator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic ventilator adapted to be placed in a window opening for the ventilation of a dwelling house, office, or the like, or to be placed in a ventilating flue located in any part of a dwelling house, factory, barn or other buildmg.

The object of the invention is, primarily, to provide a ventilator of improved construction, which will operate automatically in such a manner that the size of the opening will Vary inversely with the velocity of the air passing therethrough, but which will never be completely closed so that there will, at all times, be a supply of fresh air passing in the room or building to be ventilated. The damper, by means of which the volume of the draft is controlled, is so arranged that it will be responsive to a draft in either direction, that is, into or out of the building. Means may also be provided to permit a return current so as to remove the foul air, in order that its place may be taken by the fresh air, thereby insuring a constant and steady flow of air.

The invention will be best understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the inh vention, looking from the lnside of a WllldOW' on the 1923. Serial No. 650,294.

tion of the invention, viewed from the outside.

The invention as illustrated in'the draw ings comprises a box-like frame 10, composed of sheet metal or other suitable material, having a bottom 11 slightly inclined to receive a slide 18, which may be adjusted by means of a finger hold 19 to close the space between the end of the frame 10 and the window-jamb.

Leading into and through the frame 10, from the outer side is a passage way 20, the sides of which are defined by the sides of the walls 30 and 31, and which has top and bottom converging walls 21 and 22 forming a restricted elongated mouth 23, near the longitudinal center of the frame. Opposed to-this mouth 23, and spaced therefrom, a passage way 24 leads upwardly and inwardly to the inner side of the frame 10, and is defined by the side walls 30 and 31 and the upwardly and inwardly inclined top and bottom walls 25 and 26 leading to the mouth 27 where the passage way opens into the room. I

The damper 28 is supported mid-way between the adjacent mouths 23 and 24 of the passage way, by means of trunnions 29, which are journalled in the side walls 30 and 31 of the frame 10. The portion 32 of the damper extending below the trunnions 29 is wider and heavier than the portion 33 extending above the same, so that normally in the absence of any draft the damper will gravitate to a vertical position, as shown in Figure 6. The walls 22 and 26 are integrally connected by a downwardly bowed portion- 40 forming a trough 41. This trough may be partially filled with water, as indi-H cated'at 34, in order to provide sufficient humidity to insure healthful conditions within the room.

If the wind should be blowing toward the ventilator from the outside, the current of air flowing through the ventilator, as it be comes stronger, will cause a pressure against the outside of the lower portion 32 of the damper, and will tend to rock the same into the position shown in full lines in Figure 7. The stronger the wind blows, the farther will the damper be rocked, thus restricting the size of the passage way through the ventilator and reducing the volume of flow in proportion to the velocity of the same. In case the wind becomes strong enough to completely close the lower side of the damper against the side of the bowed portion 40,there will still be left a restricted tortuous passage way through the ventilator, whereby the air may circulate upwardly through the narrow opening 35 between the wall 21 and upper portion 33 of the dampenand then downwardly through the restricted opening 36 between the lower edge of the wall25 and the lower portion 32 of the damper. Thus when the wind reaches its maximum velocity there will still be sufiicient ventilatio i.

For the purpose of further insuring a continuous and uniform flow of air, and the.

replacement of the foul air by fresh air, curved or U-shaped passage ways 39 are provided between theavall's 30 and 31, respectively, and the outer walls of the frame 10 for discharging the foul air. Each of these passage ways is provided with a mouth 37 opening from the room outwardly, and the opposite end is turned inwardly, as indicated at 38, terminating near the window, soas to prevent back drafts. In case, however, the wind is blowing from the opposite direction there will be a tendency for the air to flow in the opposite direction, as indicated by the dotted arrows in Figure 7, and under such conditions, the fresh air will be drawn inwardly through the passageway 39, while the foul air is discharged through the passageway 20. In case the velocity in this direction increases, the damper will be swung toward the dotted position shown in Figure 7, and in its extreme position the restricted circulation will pass upwardly through the narrow opening 36, around the upper side of the damper, and downwardly through the narrow opening 85. it

The curved conduit 39 may or may not be employed. It is only used when the ventilator is tobe used in windows. The angular walls 21 and 22 are important in that they break up the force of the wind. The current of air striking the wall 22, for instance, is deflected and comes in contact with a similar current deflected from the wall 21. The inner walls being also inclined tend to turn the direction of the current, thus avoiding drafts.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that I have provided a ventilator which is automatically controlled so as to insure a practically uniform ventilation under all conditions. No'matter which way the windblows, or how hard it blows, a

practically constant ventilation will be secured at all times, and dangerous drafts are prevented.

lVhile I have illustrated the "entilator as applied to a window opening, it will be readily appreciated that the same is adapted to be installed in a flue beneath the floor, or above the ceiling, or in any other convenient location, depending upon the nature of the building which is to be ventilated. It will also be understood that the specific details of construction herein shown and described are merely for the purpose of illustration, and that various modifications of the same may be devised within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

lVhatis claimed is:

1. In a ventilator, the combination of a casing having a passageway therethrough, a damper in said passageway normally held by. gravity in position to permit a maximum circulation of air, but operable by a current of air through the passageway in either direction to progressively close the passage- "ay as the velocity of the current increases, said damper when swung to the limit of its movement in either direction engaging the lower-wall of the casing to close the passage- *ay beneath the damper, but always leaving a restricted passageway above the damper in all positions of the latter.

2. In a ventilator, the combination of a casing having a passageway therethrough, a damper pivoted eccentrically within the passageway so as to be normally held by gravity in a vertical position, the passageway being so shaped that the damper when swung in either direction will partially or wholly close the portion of the passageway below the pivot according to the are through which it is swung but always leaving a restricted passageway through the casing above said pivot, and means fordeflecting a current entering the passageway from either end against the lower part of the damper.

3. In a ventilator, the combination of a casing having a passageway therethrough, a damper pivoted eccentrically within the passageway so as to be normally held by gravity in a vertical position, the passageway being so shaped that the damper, when swung through a predetermined angle, engages the wall of the'passageway beneath the damper and leaves a restricted passageway above the damper which is more toi t-uousthan the passageway below the same. i

4.. In a ventilator, the combination of a casing having a passageway therethrough with a downwardly bowed intermediate portion, a damper pivotally supported and extending into said bowed portion, said passageway having a mouth at each end formed with a deflecting wall inclined downwardly toward the lower portion of the damper, said damper being of sufficient extent to engage the side of the bowed portion to close the lower part of the passageway when the damper is acted on by sufficient air pressure.

5. In a ventilator, the combination of a casing having a passageway therethrough with an enlarged intermediate portion, a

damper within said enlarged portion, means for deflecting a current of air entering from either end of the passageway to cause the same to strike the lower part of the damper, said damper being of suflicient extent to engage the side of the lower part of said enlarged portion to close the same when the damper is acted on by suficient air pressure, the upper part of the casing forming a space into which the upper portion of the damper extends to form a restricted passageway through the ventilator, when the damper is in position to close the lower part of the passageway.

6. In a ventilator, the combination of a casing having a passageway therethrough, a damper in said passageway normally held by gravity in a vertical position to permit a maximum circulation of air, but operable by a current of air through the passageway in either direction to progressively close the lower part of the passageway as the velocity of the current increases, and to completely close the. lower part of the passageway when the current reaches a predetermined velocity, said casing having a space in communication with each end of the passageway, into which the upper portion of the damper eX- tends, and which forms a restricted passageway when the lower part of the damper is closed.

7. In a ventilator, the combination of a casing having a passageway therethrough, a damper in said passageway normally held by gravity in a position to permit a maximum circulation of air, but operable by a current of air through the passageway in either direction to progressively cut down the volume of the current as its velocity increases, and a substantially U-shaped passageway for permitting a return current of air.

8. In a ventilator, a casing having apassageway therethrough, a trough adapted to contain water, and having walls connected with its upper side edges which together with the trough form the lower side of the passageway through the ventilator, a pivotally supported damper having its lower portion depending within said trough and adapted to be swung toward either side of said trough by a current of air, and to engage the side of the trough to close the lower part of the passageway when the current reaches a predetermined velocity, at the sam time leaving a restricted passageway above the damper.

ing downwardly into said bowed portion,

but with its lower edge spaced from the bottom of said trough, the upper wall of the passageway at each side of the damper being inclined downwardly toward the damper in a plane which intersects the damper below its pivot.

10. In a ventilator, the combination with a casing having a passageway therethrough and provided with a trough adapted to contain water, and a damper pivotally supported within the casing and extending into said trough, and free to engage either side of the trough to close that portion of the passageway beneath the damper while leaving a restricted passageway above the same.

11. In a ventilator, the combination of a casing having at one side, top and bottom inclined walls which converge toward each other forming an elongated mouth and provided below the plane of the mouth with a trough adapted to contain water, and a damper arranged within the casing and pivotally supported with its lower portion below the pivot extending into said trough, but terminating short of the bottom thereof, the lower part of said damper, when swung toward the mouth being engageable with the edge of the trough to close the lower part of the month, while leaving a restricted passageway from the mouth around the upper edge of the damper.

12. In a ventilator,the combination of a casing having a passageway therethrough formed at one end with top and bottom inclined walls which converge providing an elongated mouth, and another mouth in the other side of the casing opposed to the firstmentioned mouth, a pivoted damper arranged within the passageway between the two mouths, said damper when swung by a current of air being operable to entirely close the passageway between one edge of the damper and either of said mouths, but in all positions leaving a restricted passageway past the opposite'edge of the damper.

13. In a ventilator, the combination of acasing consisting of top, bottom and end walls, formed by top and bottom inclined walls providing an elongated mouth, and a second pair of inclined top and bottom walls also forming a mouth, and a damper located be- -nd apassageway therethrough tween the two sets of inclined walls and latter and the upper walls of the respective mouths. y i7 14. In a ventilator, the combination ofa casing composed of top and b ottom walls and end walls, a damper arranged Within the casing and pivotedeccentrically, top and bottom inclined walls at one side of the casing, said walls converging to form a mouth which is located at the lower portion of the damper, and another pair of inclined walls at the opposite side of the casing also forming a mouth, said damper being adapted to close the lower portion of either mouth when operated by a current of air through the casing, the upper portion of the mouth remaining open.

15. In a ventilator for a room, the combination of a casing having a passageway th erethrough from the interior of the room to the outside thereof, a damper in said passageway normally held in a position to permit a maximum circulation of air, but operable by a current of air through the passageway in either direction to partially close the passageway, and a curved conduit with one end opening through the inner side of the easing into the room and having its other end extending upwardly through the top of the casing and opening outside of the room, whereby to provide for a return flow of air.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signaturc.

ALFRED A. GILMORE. 

